Projects stall and costs stack up when the right people aren’t on site. That’s where more than a decade of working shoulder to shoulder with a Sunshine Coast civil construction business makes a difference. We know their teams and what works within each across all sites so when projects grow rapidly and deadlines tighten, we deliver the right people - cutting downtime, reducing admin and saving the bottom line. PROBLEM Civil projects expanded quickly in the region placing a strain on their subcontractor network and the need to quickly scale their workforce, find reliable, quality people who not only had the right skills and tickets but also the right attitude to fit each team became the challenge. The overall goal was to keep projects moving, reducing costly downtime and delays and take the stress of staffing off the clients hands. SOLOUTION We regularly supply over 60+ people to their Sunshine Coast sites, covering everything from labourers to skilled operators. The focus is beyond volume or filling roles, it’s making sure every person has the right attitude for the team they’re working with as well as the site they’re at. These roles are also often a recruitment funnel, transitioning from labour hire to direct employment with the business. This compliments their internal talent team and gives them long term retention while providing career opportunities for the workforce, a win, win. DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE We take the time to understand each project manager or foreman’s preferences coupled with site specific needs. Some are after experienced operators, others are happy to work with less experienced hires and provide upskilling opportunities where we also facilitate RTO engagement and training when needed. With this depth of business knowledge and a tailored workforce, site teams run efficiently, projects stay on track and managers have the confidence the right people are in the right place. “On the service side, what matters is having a supplier who understands our needs. Clear, precise communication and speed are key - civil and construction work is time poor. Price, speed and service all matter but most suppliers don’t get how to tick all those boxes.” - Steve, Procurement Officer, Civil client. LOCAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Our local Sunshine Coast Account Manager being on the ground for pre-start with PPE and regular check ins with employees also means less stress for project managers or foreman, giving them confidence that operations will run smoothly and that the workforce can be relied on. “Relationship is just as important. Having one point of contact who knows our sites, handles everything hands on and takes our feedback on board makes a massive difference. Personalised support like that, not a call centre, builds the kind of trust and familiarity that keeps things running.” - Steve, Procurement Officer, Civil client. END TO END SOLOUTIONS Beyond labour hire, we’ve also covered permanent staff on site and back office staff including HR, payroll and reception - some of whom have been with the client for over a decade. This allows managers to focus on running the business instead of chasing staff. OUTCOME Over the last four years, the volume of work AWX do with the client has doubled. By managing site and people specific staffing needs, we saved time, money, reduced stress around filling roles and improved retention with labour hire to permanent pathways. The client now has a reliable, flexible workforce that scales with growth, allowing them to keep projects moving, reduce pressure on managers and maintain confidence in their teams.

A remarkable milestone has been reached at Regional Workforce Management, the 10,000th worker through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has joined the team since 2019. Behind this number are thousands of personal journeys, workers leaving home, their families and villages, embracing new opportunities and building brighter futures for themselves and their families. Learning and growing together From the very beginning, the PALM scheme has been a journey of learning, together. Every worker has taught RWM something new about their culture, their communities and what matters most to them. Over time, we’ve learned how to support workers not just in the workplace, but in life in Australia: understanding their family values, value on faith and community we have helped them also with living here with pay and deductions, managing finances, sending money back home, immersing in local communities and planning toward their goals. As Lindale from the Solomon Islands, a knife hand at a Brisbane meat processing plant, explained, “If you come here you are representing your country. Set your goals and focus. You will get something out of it.” For our team, it’s been a journey too. “Naturally, there’s a learning curve,” said Brad Seagrott, Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve built systems and support over time, from arrival briefings to cultural understanding and support. Every step has made us better at what we do.” Culture and pastoral care Moving to a new country is life changing and it’s our dedicated welfare and wellbeing site teams that make the transition smoother. Available around the clock, they support workers with everything from housing and payroll to cultural, emotional and community connections. With trusted cultural welfare officers like Pa Enari, a Samoan Chief and Mick Seduadua from Fiji, our care goes beyond logistics it’s about ensuring workers feel confident, valued and at home. “We help workers find their footing, at work as well as in everyday life,” said Pa Enari. “That means navigating cultural differences, integrating into the local community, playing sports and celebrating traditions with choir, dance and cultural milestones. Our goal is to make sure every worker feels supported, that’s the RWM way.” Turning challenges into opportunity Reflecting on the last six years, the program has faced challenges along the way. From nationwide shutdown restrictions to moving workers across a vast country, each challenge has sparked innovation. We developed solutions along the way like dedicated quarantine facilities and tailored arrival programs that help workers settle into their new homes smoothly. Creating impact The PALM scheme is more than work, it’s opportunity. For families, it’s education for their children, school fees covered, homes built, businesses created, dreams realised. For communities, it’s remittances that make a real difference. Annually, $40 - $50 million is sent back home. And for the workers themselves, it’s confidence, skills and new horizons. “Being a worker under the scheme and RWM has been a tremendous experience,” said Mark Max Laesanau from the Solomon Islands. “My family and I have been blessed during the past four years especially my kids with their education obligations.” For many, the scheme also creates opportunities to grow in their careers. Sereima, from Fiji shared, “I didn’t expect to be promoted. But when the opportunity came, I took it. I reminded myself why I came to Australia. For my parents. For our home. For the goals I have for the future.” Building skills that last a lifetime The PALM scheme also offers learning. Over 1,000 RWM employees from the Pacific Islands and Timor Leste have completed Certificate II and III in Food Processing, supported by our Welfare and Wellbeing Site Managers, clients and registered trainers. Covering multiple units, the training program develops key technical skills including communication, food safety, temperature and stock management, manual handling and effective workplace practices. “It’s been a supportive and rewarding experience,” says Jeffery, a food processor at a South Brisbane manufacturer. “Lee has been there throughout the process, which made it easier to settle in and build my skills. It’s helped me grow both here and for when I return home.” Alongside technical training, workers develop essential soft skills such as communication, time management, organisation and confidence. Strong relationships, lasting Trust Central to the program’s success are the strong, lasting relationships we’ve built with government departments, Labour Sending Units and community leaders. Visiting partner countries and seeing the impact first hand has strengthened trust and created programs that truly make a difference. “We’ve built trust by showing up. Travelling to Pacific nations, sitting with families, learning about their cultures and traditions. We’ve welcomed delegations into our offices, taken them to client sites and shown them their workers thriving in Australia. Those moments of connection matter. They’ve allowed us to create genuine partnerships and ensure the program truly delivers for everyone involved,” said Brad. The arrival of the 10,000th worker is a reflection of growth, learning and connection. We’re committed to supporting every worker to achieve their dreams, continually improving the program and celebrating every journey that begins with a single step off the plane.

A significant wharf and marina upgrade in New Britain, Papua New Guinea, called for more than routine survey work. In late 2025, Dylan headed over to gather the detailed information needed to move the project forward for a client we’ve worked with for nearly ten years. His focus was on resolving control problems, establishing a dependable framework, and supporting skill‑building within the local survey team. For General Manager (Mackay & Whitsundays) Chris and Surveyor Dylan, the project stood out from the outset. “We knew the scope itself was straightforward,” Chris said. “What wasn’t straightforward was the condition of the existing data. Before you can move anything forward, you have to trust what you’re working from.” Starting with the fundamentals On paper, the work was very familiar. Wharf upgrades, marine infrastructure and tidal environments are all part of what Vision Surveys regularly delivers. What made this one different was the existing survey control. There were surveys of the site dating back 20 to 30 years. Much of the physical evidence referenced in those plans no longer existed. More recent surveys had been completed without a consistent framework, resulting in discrepancies across datasets. Before any upgrade could confidently proceed, that had to be untangled. Dylan spent his first week investigating historical information, working back to permanent marks in town to confirm heights and coordinate systems and reconciling differences between old and recent data. “It turned out to be a really interesting project,” Dylan said. “We were upgrading a wharf on New Britain Islan and while I was piecing together all the old data, I was also training the local surveyors so they can carry the work forward.” Chris said the early challenges were expected given the location. “There was no single, reliable reference point to start from,” Chris explained. “In Queensland, we have established databases and clear frameworks. Over there, it required more investigation and a lot more interpretation.” On a marine project, that groundwork is critically important. When a new jetty or ramp needs to tie precisely into existing infrastructure, even small inconsistencies can create significant construction issues.

Here’s what AWX is seeing

PeopleIN and RWM are proud to support Teacher in a Box, donating refurbished laptops to provide offline educational access for students in remote Pacific communities.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND - JOEL KASS

Landcare Australia’s Project Hindmarsh in rural Victoria has been a labour of love for many but, for one member of our Timberwolf Planting team, it’s literally been a lifelong commitment.Last week a revegetation project which began nearly 30 years ago was completed, with the final stage of a largely volunteer based project delivered by PeopleIN’s contract tree planting business. And, for Regional Manager for Victoria, Sally Werner, it was a deeply personal experience.In 1996, Project Hindmarsh

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Residents and staff at McLean Care have welcomed a group of our international aged care workers to the team at the Mackellar Apex Road centre in Gunnedah, in New South Wales.The five women from Kiribati and Tuvalu, in Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM), scheme flew into Tamworth recently and commenced working with the centre’s current residents.An estimated 4.1 million Australians are aged 65 and over, with a high proportion living in regional areas. A shortage of skill